Various oil field wastes contain hydrocarbons. However, various state and federal laws and regulations require that these wastes be properly disposed of. The disposal problem has been considerable and expensive. For example, it is conventional in rotary drilling oil and gas wells to use a drilling fluid commonly called "mud". The drilling fluid performs various important functions as it is circulated downwardly through a drill pipe, out a drill bit and up the borehole to the surface. The drilling fluids commonly are of an oil base. In addition, the drilling fluids and the well cuttings may be exposed to hydrocarbons and other pollutants in the well bore.
Various methods and apparatus have been proposed to treat these oil field wastes in order to make them ecologically acceptable such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,658,105; 4,209,381; 4,222,988; and 4,139,462. However, the problem of meeting all of the restrictions of governmental authorities and properly disposing of these oil field wastes has continued to be a difficult and expensive operation. The present invention is directed to improved methods and apparatus for treating oil field wastes and particularly spent drilling fluids and cuttings which contain hydrocarbons. The process utilizes the hydrocarbons in the oil field wastes as a source of fuel for burning the wastes to provide a pollution free residue and to recover and recycle the constituents. The process thus avoids the disposal problem and provides products for resale thereby reducing the cost of the treating process.